JK Admits to Issue Land Permit in Kalimantan for Prabowo

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla or JK said that he allowed the cultivation right permit (HGU) of the 220,000 hectares land in East Kalimantan owned by Prabowo Subianto. The permit was issued in 2014, two weeks after JK was inaugurated as VP of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

“Pak Prabowo has owned the land but based on the law, the regulation, so what’s wrong with it. It was me who gave it (the permit),” Kalla said when met at his office on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, February 19.

JK explained the land was a bad credit asset managed by the National Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), which then was taken over by Bank Mandiri.

The vice president recalled that Prabowo and an entrepreneur from Singapore interested in the land plot. So, he demanded Agus Marto who was at that time the CEO of Bank Mandiri prioritize Indonesian citizen. However, JK expected the purchase of the land via cash, and Prabowo have to spend US$150 million.

The purchase of the HGU land was allowed because it would be used as industry site for export. “It aims for export, we support it because it is for export,” JK added.

The land plots owned by Prabowo Subianto recently became public spotlight after presidential candidate number 01 Joko Widodo or Jokowi touched on the matter during the second election debate on Sunday.

EGI ADYATAMA